Yahoo Sports GdS: ‘Always there’ – Reijnders emerges as the top scorer and leader of Milan
One of the few bright spots from last night’s game between AC Milan and Roma was Tijjani Reijnders getting his name on the scoreboard again.
As La Gazzetta dello Sport recall, last night – like in Verona last week – Youssouf Fofana supplied for Reijnders to convert and open the scoring. Unlike the game before Christmas, though, it wasn’t enough for three points this time.
Reijnders is now on nine goals for the season making him Milan’s top scorer. His brace against Club Brugge on October 22 in the Champions League started it all, and now he is already experiencing his best goal scoring season.
In less than 70 days Reijnders has flourished despite the team’s difficulties, moving from being in a two-man midfield with Fofana to the attacking midfielder role. Without Rafael Leao and Christian Pulisic Milan lost some creativity and threat, which the Dutchman came forward to fix.
It is no coincidence that Reijnders’ exponential growth coincided with the arrival of Fofana as a partner. The Frenchman arrived as a midfielder to protect and provide balance, but he immediately made things clear: “I am a modern midfielder, I can also do the attacking phase well.”
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He was right. With yesterday’s assist, he has already provided six assists this season, three to Leao and three to his friend ‘Tiji”‘ The three are the basis on which the future Milan will focus, regardless of who is the head coach.
In the meantime, aware of the rapid explosion of his value, Milan were quick to find an agreement to extend Reijnders’ contract. The official announcement will be made only in 2025, but the two parties will extend until 2029 with an option for an additional year and a pay rise to ward off Real Madrid.
